House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Thursday welcomed at the second presidential residence in Ain al-Tineh, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Director of the Wilson Center in Washington, David Hale, who visited him with an accompanying delegation.
Discussions reportedly touched on the latest developments and the current general situation.
On emerging, Hale described his meeting with Speaker Berri as very positive, saying “It was an honor for me to meet him [Berri] on my first visit to Beirut as a citizen and Director of the Wilson Center in Washington after serving 34 years in the US State Department. As it is known, the Wilson Center is an independent center that holds discussions and researches, and organizes open dialogues in Washington on a number of global issues.”
He added that the Center’s Middle East department launched a program on Lebanon and on the economic issue and the political program.
Hale also indicated that the situation in Lebanon is not hopeless and he is optimistic about a better future for Lebanon.
On the other hand, Speaker Berri Speaker received French Ambassador to Lebanon, Anne Grillo, with whom he discussed the current general situation, the latest developments and the bilateral relations between Lebanon and France.